In Two Weeks: Precious

Precious, the film adaptation of Saphirre's 1996 novel PUSH, will hit theater's Nov. 6. Industry insiders say the film -- directed by Lee Daniels and starring Mo'Nique and Mariah Carey in critically-acclaimed dramatic roles -- promises to pack the same emotional punch as last-year's Oscar-winning Slumdog Millionaires. Unlike Slumdog, however, Precious tells a decidedly American story of class, race and sexual struggle. It's central character is an overweight black girl from the ghetto who endures horrific physical and sexual violence from both of her parents. It's a tough story. Though I read through the work in a single sitting more than a month ago, the power of the piece rests with me still. Saphirre's prose is unrelenting. And the film, critics say, is an equally visceral experience.

The New York Times Magazine published an insightful feature titled "The Audacity of Precious." It's an interesting piece, offering the director's vision but also presenting a context in which the film should be viewed. “Precious is so not Obama,” Daniels said. “Precious is so not P.C. What I learned from doing the film is that even though I am black, I’m prejudiced. I’m prejudiced against people who are darker than me. When I was young, I went to a church where the lighter-skinned you were, the closer you sat to the altar. Anybody that’s heavy like Precious — I thought they were dirty and not very smart. Making this movie changed my heart. I’ll never look at a fat girl walking down the street the same way again.”

Read the entire piece at http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/25/magazine/25precious-t.html?ref=movies